Posted by u/one_star_shop
Just got a scathing Yelp review, how do I respond?
Answered by Ask a Shop Owner ·
Customer misdiagnosed themselves, wanted us to install a part that would not have fixed anything, we said no. Now a 1-star. What do I do?
u/askashopowner Owner-operator advisor
Top answer
Respond once, publicly, calmly. Do not fight the customer. Fight the impression on the next 500 readers. 'We appreciate the feedback. Our tech recommended against installing part X because our diagnostic showed the issue was Y. We understand that was not what the customer wanted to hear and wish them well.'
Then flood the top of your review page with new positives. Ask five happy customers this week for a review. One bad review sitting at the top for months is a problem. One bad review buried under 20 recent 5-stars is background noise.
Do not report the review to Yelp unless it contains a factual lie or profanity. Removal requests are almost always denied and waste your time.
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